Homeopathy

Complementary and alternative medicine is becoming an established intervention modality within the contemporary health care system. Various forms of complementary and alternative medicine are used by patients and practitioners alike, including chiropractic, massage, botanical medicine, homeopathy, and energy therapies. The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine was established within the National Institutes of Health to facilitate evaluation of these alternative therapies, establish an information clearinghouse, and promote research in the field.

The use of homeopathic remedies for the treatment of mastitis is described. The basic principles of homeopathy are discussed, including the simillimum, the minimum dose, the single remedy, the whole person, the vital force, susceptibility, and constitutional treatment. Homeopathic research trials and papers are examined and discussed. The author explains how homeopathy can be incorporated into midwifery practice and applies this to the treatment of mastitis.

The basic concepts of homeopathy are presented, including the vital force, the Law of Similars, the Law of Proving, and the Law of Potentization. The method by which the practitioner applies these laws in a clinical setting in order to choose a homeopathic remedy is described. Careful history taking and observation of the client to ascertain the etiology and location of a complaint, associated sensations, factors that aggravate or ameliorate symptoms, the emotional and mental state, general observations, and strange, rare, and peculiar symptoms are stressed.

This Clinical Practice Exchange focuses on alternative healing in nurse-midwifery practice. It features interviews with six certified nurse-midwives (CNMs) who practice complementary therapies (CTs). The healing modalities they use include homeopathy, Healing Touch, hypnosis, herbal healing, mindfulness meditation, and water healing. The CNMs discuss their training to practice CTs, how they use alternative healing with clients, and how they integrate this with midwifery practice.

Medical and nonmedical students completed a questionnaire indicating how willing they would be to try various therapies for treatment. Both groups assessed more traditional complementary practices such as homeopathy and acupuncture as similar to more orthodox treatments such as physiotherapy or prescribed diets. Both groups appeared not to differentiate between established techniques (physiotherapy) and less tested techniques (yoga). Furthermore, neither group seemed particularly concerned about the scientific evaluations of treatments.

We investigated the influence of indicators of methodological quality on study outcome in a set of 89 placebo-controlled clinical trials of homoeopathy in three different ways: (1) The results of studies meeting single criteria (explicit statement of random allocation, allocation concealment, double-blinding, completeness of follow-up) of methodological quality were compared with those of studies not meeting the criteria in univariate and multivariate analyses; (2) The results of studies scoring above and below predefined scores in two quality assessment scales were compared; (3) Primary st

The use of herbal medicine is widespread and growing, with as many as 3 in 10 Americans using botanical remedies in a given year. Because many herbal medicines have significant pharmacological activity, and thus potential adverse effects and drug interactions, healthcare professionals must be familiar with this therapeutic modality. This article summarizes the history and current use of plant-based medicine and highlights the evidence of the risks and benefits associated with 6 plants: echinacea, garlic, ginger, ginkgo, St John's wort, and valerian.

Patient aged 49 who developed hypothyroidism after receiving 1131 for relapsing Graves' disease after treatment with propylthiouracil followed by homeopathy. Substitution with thyroxine (0.05 mg/day) was prescribed. Depressed by the perspective of a life long treatment, the patient swallowed 400 pills (20 mg). The evolution was uncomplicated after betablockers administration at hospital. One year later she became euthyroid without further medication. The occurrence of transient hypothyroidism after curitherapy is discussed.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of use of alternative diets and other alternative therapies by cancer patients DESIGN: Descriptive, questionnaire. METHOD: During one week, a written survey was held among all 429 patients visiting the outpatient cancer clinic of the Antoni van Leeuwenhoek hospital, Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Patients were asked about their use of alternative therapies both current and in the past, their reasons for using these therapies and the extra expenses involved. A total of 405 patients participated in the study.